Sochi preps for the 2014 Winter Olympics

The 2014 games will open on February 7, 2014

February 6, 2013 12:00 PM

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A picture taken on January 22, 2013, shows a general view of the construction site of "Fisht" Olympic Stadium in the Imereti Valley in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi. One year before Russia kicks off the 22nd Winter Olympic Games on February 7, 2014, its host city Sochi is one of the world's biggest construction sites, with works proceeding on schedule but declared a disaster by environmentalists. less

A picture taken on January 22, 2013, shows a general view of the construction site of "Fisht" Olympic Stadium in the Imereti Valley in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi. One year before Russia kicks off the ... more

Photo: AFP, AFP/Getty Images

A picture taken on January 22, 2013, shows a general view of the... Photo-4146362.56342 - GreenwichTime

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Russia's President Vladimir Putin visits the "RusSki Gorki" Jumping Center at the Krasnaya Polyana resort near the Black Sea city of Sochi, on February 6, 2013. The complex is expected to host ski jumping and Nordic combined competitions during Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games next February, according to organizers. less

Russia's President Vladimir Putin visits the "RusSki Gorki" Jumping Center at the Krasnaya Polyana resort near the Black Sea city of Sochi, on February 6, 2013. The complex is expected to host ski jumping and ... more

A picture taken on January 22, 2013, shows a view of the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi. One year before Russia kicks off the 22nd Winter Olympic Games on February 7, 2014, its host city Sochi is one of the world's biggest construction sites, with works proceeding on schedule but declared a disaster by environmentalists. less

A picture taken on January 22, 2013, shows a view of the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi. One year before Russia kicks off the 22nd Winter Olympic Games on February 7, 2014, its host city Sochi is one of the ... more

Photo: AFP, AFP/Getty Images

A picture taken on January 22, 2013, shows a view of the Russian... Photo-4146356.56342 - GreenwichTime

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A picture taken on January 22, 2013, shows a view of the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi. One year before Russia kicks off the 22nd Winter Olympic Games on February 7, 2014, its host city Sochi is one of the world's biggest construction sites, with works proceeding on schedule but declared a disaster by environmentalists. less

A picture taken on January 22, 2013, shows a view of the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi. One year before Russia kicks off the 22nd Winter Olympic Games on February 7, 2014, its host city Sochi is one of the ... more

Photo: AFP, AFP/Getty Images

A picture taken on January 22, 2013, shows a view of the Russian... Photo-4146357.56342 - GreenwichTime

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A picture taken on January 22, 2013, shows a general view of "Iceberg" Skating Palace construction site in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi. One year before Russia kicks off the 22nd Winter Olympic Games on February 7, 2014, its host city Sochi is one of the world's biggest construction sites, with works proceeding on schedule but declared a disaster by environmentalists. less

A picture taken on January 22, 2013, shows a general view of "Iceberg" Skating Palace construction site in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi. One year before Russia kicks off the 22nd Winter Olympic Games ... more

Photo: AFP, AFP/Getty Images

A picture taken on January 22, 2013, shows a general view of... Photo-4146359.56342 - GreenwichTime

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A picture taken on January 22, 2013, shows a general view of the Bolshoi Ice Palace construction site in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi. One year before Russia kicks off the 22nd Winter Olympic Games on February 7, 2014, its host city Sochi is one of the world's biggest construction sites, with works proceeding on schedule but declared a disaster by environmentalists. less

A picture taken on January 22, 2013, shows a general view of the Bolshoi Ice Palace construction site in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi. One year before Russia kicks off the 22nd Winter Olympic Games on ... more

Photo: AFP, AFP/Getty Images

A picture taken on January 22, 2013, shows a general view of the... Photo-4146360.56342 - GreenwichTime

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A picture taken on January 23, 2013, shows a general view of Speed Skating Stadium construction site in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi. One year before Russia kicks off the 22nd Winter Olympic Games on February 7, 2014, its host city Sochi is one of the world's biggest construction sites, with works proceeding on schedule but declared a disaster by environmentalists. less

A picture taken on January 23, 2013, shows a general view of Speed Skating Stadium construction site in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi. One year before Russia kicks off the 22nd Winter Olympic Games on ... more

Photo: AFP, AFP/Getty Images

A picture taken on January 23, 2013, shows a general view of Speed... Photo-4146363.56342 - GreenwichTime

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A picture taken on January 23, 2013, shows a general view of the Bolshoi Ice Palace construction site at the Olympic Park in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi. One year before Russia kicks off the 22nd Winter Olympic Games on February 7, 2014, its host city Sochi is one of the world's biggest construction sites, with works proceeding on schedule but declared a disaster by environmentalists. less

A picture taken on January 23, 2013, shows a general view of the Bolshoi Ice Palace construction site at the Olympic Park in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi. One year before Russia kicks off the 22nd ... more

Photo: AFP, AFP/Getty Images

A picture taken on January 23, 2013, shows a general view of the... Photo-4146365.56342 - GreenwichTime

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A picture taken on January 23, 2013, shows a view of a construction site in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi. One year before Russia kicks off the 22nd Winter Olympic Games on February 7, 2014, its host city Sochi is one of the world's biggest construction sites, with works proceeding on schedule but declared a disaster by environmentalists. less

A picture taken on January 23, 2013, shows a view of a construction site in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi. One year before Russia kicks off the 22nd Winter Olympic Games on February 7, 2014, its host ... more

Photo: AFP, AFP/Getty Images

A picture taken on January 23, 2013, shows a view of a construction... Photo-4146367.56342 - GreenwichTime

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A picture taken on January 23, 2013, shows a view of the construction site of "Fisht" Olympic Stadium in the Imereti Valley in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi. One year before Russia kicks off the 22nd Winter Olympic Games on February 7, 2014, its host city Sochi is one of the world's biggest construction sites, with works proceeding on schedule but declared a disaster by environmentalists. less

A picture taken on January 23, 2013, shows a view of the construction site of "Fisht" Olympic Stadium in the Imereti Valley in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi. One year before Russia kicks off the 22nd ... more

Photo: AFP, AFP/Getty Images

A picture taken on January 23, 2013, shows a view of the... Photo-4146369.56342 - GreenwichTime

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A picture taken on January 23, 2013, shows an inside view of the Bolshoi Ice Palace construction site at the Olympic Park in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi. One year before Russia kicks off the 22nd Winter Olympic Games on February 7, 2014, its host city Sochi is one of the world's biggest construction sites, with works proceeding on schedule but declared a disaster by environmentalists. less

A picture taken on January 23, 2013, shows an inside view of the Bolshoi Ice Palace construction site at the Olympic Park in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi. One year before Russia kicks off the 22nd ... more

Photo: AFP, AFP/Getty Images

A picture taken on January 23, 2013, shows an inside view of the... Photo-4146370.56342 - GreenwichTime

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A picture taken on January 24, 2013, shows a view of the new railway station "Esto-Sadok", between Adler and Krasnaya Polyana Olympic venues in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi. One year before Russia kicks off the 22nd Winter Olympic Games on February 7, 2014, its host city Sochi is one of the world's biggest construction sites, with works proceeding on schedule but declared a disaster by environmentalists. less

A picture taken on January 24, 2013, shows a view of the new railway station "Esto-Sadok", between Adler and Krasnaya Polyana Olympic venues in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi. One year before Russia ... more

Photo: AFP, AFP/Getty Images

A picture taken on January 24, 2013, shows a view of the new... Photo-4146372.56342 - GreenwichTime

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A picture taken on January 24, 2013, shows a view of the new railway station "Esto-Sadok", between Adler and Krasnaya Polyana Olympic venues in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi. One year before Russia kicks off the 22nd Winter Olympic Games on February 7, 2014, its host city Sochi is one of the world's biggest construction sites, with works proceeding on schedule but declared a disaster by environmentalists. less

A picture taken on January 24, 2013, shows a view of the new railway station "Esto-Sadok", between Adler and Krasnaya Polyana Olympic venues in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi. One year before Russia ... more

Photo: AFP, AFP/Getty Images

A picture taken on January 24, 2013, shows a view of the new... Photo-4146373.56342 - GreenwichTime

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A picture taken on January 24, 2013, shows an inside view of the new railway station "Esto-Sadok", between Adler and Krasnaya Polyana Olympic venues in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi. One year before Russia kicks off the 22nd Winter Olympic Games on February 7, 2014, its host city Sochi is one of the world's biggest construction sites, with works proceeding on schedule but declared a disaster by environmentalists. less

A picture taken on January 24, 2013, shows an inside view of the new railway station "Esto-Sadok", between Adler and Krasnaya Polyana Olympic venues in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi. One year before ... more

Photo: AFP, AFP/Getty Images

A picture taken on January 24, 2013, shows an inside view of the... Photo-4146374.56342 - GreenwichTime

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A picture taken on January 23, 2013, shows a railway and the construction site of the work on the Media Village for 22nd Winter Olympic Games in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi. One year before Russia kicks off the 22nd Winter Olympic Games on February 7, 2014, its host city Sochi is one of the world's biggest construction sites, with works proceeding on schedule but declared a disaster by environmentalists. less

A picture taken on January 23, 2013, shows a railway and the construction site of the work on the Media Village for 22nd Winter Olympic Games in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi. One year before Russia ... more

Photo: AFP, AFP/Getty Images

A picture taken on January 23, 2013, shows a railway and the... Photo-4146375.56342 - GreenwichTime

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A picture taken on January 24, 2013, shows a view of the new hotel constructed near railway station "Esto-Sadok", between Adler and Krasnaya Polyana Olympic venues in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi. One year before Russia kicks off the 22nd Winter Olympic Games on February 7, 2014, its host city Sochi is one of the world's biggest construction sites, with works proceeding on schedule but declared a disaster by environmentalists. less

A picture taken on January 24, 2013, shows a view of the new hotel constructed near railway station "Esto-Sadok", between Adler and Krasnaya Polyana Olympic venues in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi. One ... more

Photo: AFP, AFP/Getty Images

A picture taken on January 24, 2013, shows a view of the new hotel... Photo-4146376.56342 - GreenwichTime

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Athletes compete during 6 x 1,25 km Ladies' Classic Team Sprint of FIS Cross Country skiing World Cup at Laura Cross Country and Biathlon Center in Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi on February 3, 2013. Finland's Mona-Lisa Malvalehto and Anne Kylloenen took the first place ahead of Russia's Julia Ivanova and Natalia Matveeva and Canada's Perianne Jones and Daria Gaiazova. less

Athletes compete during 6 x 1,25 km Ladies' Classic Team Sprint of FIS Cross Country skiing World Cup at Laura Cross Country and Biathlon Center in Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi on February 3, 2013. ... more